Halak leads surging Blues past Stars

Posted: January 17, 2012 - 12:41am

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jaroslav Halak made 22 saves for his third shutout of the season and T.J. Oshie scored midway through the third period as the surging St. Louis Blues stayed unbeaten in 2012 by defeating the Dallas Stars 1-0 on Monday night.

The Blues have earned 13 out of a possible 14 points this month (6-0-1) and are tied with the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks atop the NHL standings with 60 points. St. Louis improved to 19-3-3 at the Scottrade Center and set a single-season club record by earning at least a point at home for the 13th straight game.

Halak, who has 19 career shutouts, has been a big part of that streak, going 9-0-3 in his last 12 starts.

Dallas lost for only the second time when allowing two or fewer goals (20-2-0). The Stars were blanked 1-0 by the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 22.

Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen (31 saves) was the hard-luck loser. In 10 career starts against St. Louis, Lehtonen has yet to allow more than two goals.

Lehtonen frustrated the Blues again for more than 50 minutes Monday before Oshie and David Perron broke into the offensive zone and executed a perfect give-and-go. Oshie got the puck back in the slot and deked Lehtonen out of position before sliding the puck into the net. Oshie’s goal at 11:26 of the third period was his 14th.

Notes: Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo had his six-game scoring streak snapped. ... Stars leading scorer Jamie Benn was a scratch as he recovers from an appendectomy early Sunday. ... The Blues have not allowed a third-period goal in nine games. ... Dallas’ Loui Eriksson was called for hooking in the third period, just his third penalty of the season. Eriksson is one of four NHL players with at least 40 points and less than 10 penalty minutes (40 points, six penalty minutes). ... Dallas is 3 for 39 on the power play in its last 12 games.